What You Should Know Before You Buy A Mountain Bike

Buying a mountain bike can be a bit frustrating not to mention time consuming. In this article we will be discussing a few things to consider before plunking down your hard earned cash on a mountain bike.

As you will find when you start looking for a mountain bike, there is a large range of prices attached to these things. Before you begin your search for a new mountain bike, you should determine your upper limit as to what you are willing to spend. With that said, you should stay away from the mass merchant stores such as K-Mart and Wal-Mart and concentrate instead on the local bike shops in your area. You will get much better service as well as a much better bike for your money.

You will soon find that all mountain bikes are designed around several different terrain types and riding styles. The first thing you should determine is the terrain types you will be encountering the most. You need to determine whether you will be doing cross country racing, smooth riding, mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill. By doing your due diligence you will be ensuring that the mountain bike you select fits you and your style of riding intead of that of the sales staff.

If you can afford it, a full suspension mountain bike is always worth the purchase. A hard tail, without rear suspension, is much lighter weight and pedal more efficiently, although full suspensions offer more comfort and overall better control. You'll want to make that decision based on your price range, riding style, and the type of terrain you'll be riding on the most.

Doing a side by side comparison of every component on the mountain bike may seem like a nearly impossible task - there are simply too many combinations available and the job can get to be overwhelming. You are better off deciding on a few components that are important to you from the standpoint of your riding style and local terrain and then choosing the rest based on minimum requirements as well as your price point. A good place to start is the forks, wheels, and derailleur.

During the year, the prices of mountain bikes can fluctuate quite a bit. Spring through summer is the main buying season. If you can wait until the right price pops up, normally in the fall and winter, you can save a couple hundred dollars. Many bike shops will also offer discounts or other accessories if you buy from them.

Ranking up there alongside finding a good price on your mountain bike is finding a good bike dealer. Finding a dealer who cares more about making sure you end up with a great bike as opposed to simply a high priced one may be a bit tricky but can be done. You will find that a top notch mountain bike dealer will keep keep a clean repair shop along with giving you the impression that they can be trusted.

Make sure that you test ride as many mountain bikes as you can that fall within your riding style and price range. The more you get the chance to do this the easier it is going to be to determine the ones that feel right for you. Test rides also give you the opportunity to determine first hand what works for you and what does not.

Product reviews and bike reviews are some of the best ways to find out about a mountain bikes reliability and overall performance. You should always look at what other owners and reviews think about a bike before you make that final purchase.